


the language we speak

by KnownGoon



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Friends to Lovers, M/M, Pre-Draft, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, soft boys in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-12
Updated: 2017-09-12
Packaged: 2018-12-26 20:29:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12066429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KnownGoon/pseuds/KnownGoon
Summary: There was something about Nolan that captivated Nicoorabout soft boys, love and languages





	the language we speak

**Author's Note:**

  * For [theworldabouttodawn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/theworldabouttodawn/gifts).



> For Kes, because she dragged me into this ship.
> 
> Also I'm gonna start a series about Soft Boys In Love because I'm soft like that, apparently. I swear I love angst. 
> 
> Thanks to Sammie for beta-ing, giving sense to this mess and changing every in for on and on for in, that's my eternal struggle. 
> 
>  
> 
> English isn't my first language so ¯\\(ツ)/¯

There was something about Nolan that captivated Nico. Maybe his pink cheeks, like he's constantly embarrassed of the things he does. Or maybe it’s that he always looks sincere, his heart on his sleeve, an open book there for the world to read. 

 

Nico heard a lot of things about the draft, about how things were done in the NHL. He's only been living  in Canada for a year, not much time passed since he decided he wanted to play in America, even less since it looked like a real possibility. So people talked, and he listened.

 

There was supposed to be a rivalry. When things became clear after world juniors that Nico could go first or second, people told him that Nolan was the rival, the competition, the one he had to defeat. The media was making a big deal about it too, so he never stopped to think otherwise.

 

When they finally meet, just for a couple of seconds during the prospects game, Nolan didn't even know there was a rivalry. He went to Nico with a blinding smile and said: “Hey, I'm Nolan. I really wanted to meet you.” 

 

If you asked Nico to describe Nolan with one word, he would say ‘kind’. It might be silly, saying that when there are so many other words, considering he’s a talented person, but it’s his words and how he looks at you, that makes choosing his humanity over his skills easy.

 

That night, when they met, Nolan went looking for Nico to talk. He wanted to get to know Nico, ask him what he thought about the draft. After all, they were in the same boat, kids with media all over them who were just trying to play hockey. 

 

Nolan asked about his English, if it was difficult for him, how much he knew. He asked about living in Canada, and then about Switzerland. Nolan asked about everything, always patient, not one second looking bored, and Nico... Nico talked and asked too, just as fascinated about the other boy. 

 

It wasn't difficult for Nico to fall for Nolan, and it wasn't a surprise either. After they talked that first day, they just didn't stop: text messages, snapchat, comments on Instagram, five different conversations and they didn't grow tired. Getting to know Nolan was taking all these facts and then putting them together, like a puzzle but with a reward that was more than winning a game. 

 

For Nico, falling in love with Nolan was like skating: easy, he slid right into it, no questions asked. One day he saw Nolan’s face in a snap and everything clicked: the tingling feeling in his stomach, why he always smiled when he saw his face, even the little heartache when Nolan called him crying at 2am - with worries about letting people down and not being enough - and he could do nothing to comfort him. 

  
  
  
  


 

They room together the night before the draft, and talk  all day about everything and nothing, trying to keep each other distracted from what is about to come. Right before going to sleep Nolan walks up to him, takes his hands and says, “Whatever happens tomorrow, it doesn't matter. I'm just glad I got to find you”.

 

Nico has been speechless plenty of times: when he was selected to play for his country, or when the Mooseheads selected him to play for them, even more, after world juniors when people started to see him as a first overall pick. But this is different. It’s speechless and out of breath, like running a marathon, it’s the pain in his chest and feeling like his body isn't enough for all his emotions. It’s wanting to cry and laugh, jump and scream and sob, all at the same time. 

 

Nico hugs Nolan and doesn't let go, which is all he could do to try to cope with his feelings. Nolan wraps his arms around Nico, the warmth of his body spreading through Nico’s, as if igniting him. Like going out during winter in Switzerland, and then coming back to the warm fire of home, little by little, it surrounds you. 

 

And Nico had no doubt before, but right this moment, covered by Nolan and crying on his shoulder, he knows he’s never going to love someone in the same way he loves Nolan. 

 

“Hey,” says Nolan, he holds Nico’s face between his hands, slowly wiping away  one tear. “Why are you crying? Did something happened?” He looks concerned, like he’s ready to fight whoever made Nico sad. 

 

Nico still doesn’t have words. He’s starting to think he’s never going to find them, since he’s gone through all his vocabulary, in German, in French and in English, is still wondering if there are enough words to express how much he loves Nolan. How his heart is so big right now that it feels like it’s going to burst out of his chest? How he needs to cry because his feelings are more than he can deal with? 

 

There aren’t.

 

So Nico does the second best thing: he kisses Nolan. 

 

Nolan’s lips feel like milk and honey, smooth and sweet. He makes a little sound when their lips first touch, but then he holds Nico’s face steadily, and Nico sighs in his mouth because this, right here, is what his happiness feels like.

 

As they part, and things begin to make sense again, Nico realizes Nolan is still holding his face, watching him like he’s afraid he’s gonna wake up if he blinks. And that thought sounds so silly, that someone as kind and smart and beautiful as Nolan could love Nico, and more than that, be afraid of losing him, that Nico laughs. He hugs Nolan again and just laughs.

 

As Nico calms down, Nolan’s arms still around him, he says, “I wanted this for so long, but I’m a little mad it happened right now”

 

Nolan lets go of him enough to look at his face. “What? why?”

 

“Because whatever happens tomorrow with the draft, I’m never going to be as happy as I’m right now,” answers Nico.

 

Nolan’s response is kissing him again. 

 

And maybe there aren’t enough words in this world to describe his love for Nolan, but it doesn’t matter. They can create a whole new language that the both of them can understand. 

**Author's Note:**

> One day I came across this poem and couldn't stop thinking about Nico, that's how this fic happened:
> 
> I'd be lying if I said  
> You make me speechless  
> The truth is you make my  
> Tongue so weak it forgets  
> What language to speak in  
> -From Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
> 
> You can see a reference to the book in the fic, all the poems are beautiful so go check them out!


End file.
